Breast Pumps?

[Brittny27]

There isn't any traffic in the Baby Products forum so I am posting here.

I am going to be breastfeeding and I want to know which pump is the best. I really like the Medela Pump in Style. It's pretty pricey though. I want to know if there is one that is just as good with all the functions that isn't so expensive.

Would you recommend purchasing a second hand one on ebay? I can find them pretty reasonably priced on there. However I would buy all new tubing and parts for sanitary reasons.  

What are you thoughts? Which ones have you used and would recommend?

[Michele, Katy, TX]

I would def get an electric and the $70 or $80 I spoke of is very reasonable for an electric pump that you can pump from both sides at the same time with.  Just remember that this might not be your last baby so you can use it later on.  And it is still good to have a good pump. Even if you do stay home, there may be times that you need to pump milk so you can leave the baby with someone else for a while.  You will be busy, so the faster you can pump, the better it will fit into your schedule.  You may also want to pump off excess milk; especially the first few weeks after you have your baby.  You will see that you have tons of milk in the beginning until your body regulates how much you produce; based on the baby's demand.  You can then pump off the excess milk and freeze it as well.  You won't find even single pumps too much cheaper.  I think it's really worth it.  I'm not saying to go out and spend $300 or $400 dollars on one of those really fancy pumps.  But I don't think $70 or $80 is bad at all.  My friend (that got the Medela in Style) said she wished she knew about my pump before she bought hers because she spent so much more.  And she can't even use both sides at the same time because of the bra thing I mentioned above.  She she spent like $200 or more on a pump she can only pump one side at a time from!

[Brittny27]

Thats the thing I don't know how often I'm gonna have to pump. I would like to exclusively breastfeed but I'm not sure if I'm going to be going back to work or not. I was planning on taking the first three months off and then looking for a new job. It really depends on what job my BF gets. He broke his leg in Jan and hasn't been able to work and then he found out that the company closed down so he doesn't have that job to go back to. He hasn't been ok'd yet by the DR to go back to work.

There are so many variables up in the air right now with a lot of things. I wish that I just knew for certain how often I would need to use a breast pump so I could choose one that was best fitted for my situation.  

Do I need an occasional pump or a heavy duty use pump? I just don't know. Will I need an electric pump or will a manual pump work? So many questions I just don't have the answer for.

[Michele, Katy, TX]

My friend bought the Medela Pump in Style one off of ebay and was happy with it but then found out she would need the $40 Medela bra to be able to use both sides at the same time.  So watch that.

I have breastfed all 6 of my kids and this time around I bought a Playtex Pump.  I got a brand new Petite Double Select for like $80.  I have seen them for $70 though.  Then I saw an upgrade of the same pump.  It was regularly a $200 pump.  I found it on Clearance at Target for $50!!!  I was so excited.  I really like the Playtex Pump.  It is very reasonably priced and very comfortable....for a pump anyway.  I highly recommend it.  

[Limonada]

You raise some good points, actually:  you just don't know how it's going to go, breastfeeding-wise, before you have a baby....and even if you'll like the pump you have!

[feather2e]

Firstly how often do you intend to use the pump? I borrowed a pump from a friend and bought new tubing etc... I found that using the medela double pump had its problems.  I didnt like pumping both breasts at the same time and also even on low strength,the suction still hurt me. My son would not take to any bottle so I wasnt pumping that much. I produced alot of milk and ended up buying a manual pump which worked perfectly when I needed to pump some milk.

[julianovak]

MEDELA........................... thats the only one that works SO good!........... all of my friends swear by it.

[msteri]

I recently purchased a book, Baby 411, and it listed the Medela pump as one of the best pumps, but it said the Ameda Purely Yours pump is just as good as the Medela pump and is a little cheaper.

[Brittny27]

Thanks I looked up Le Leche League and found there website and emailed about more information.  

I planned on buying BRAND NEW kit from medela and sterilizing all of it if I bought a used one. I'm just so paranoide about buying it used even if they say it's in perfect condition you just don't really know. I always make sure they have a good rating and read feedback before purchasing.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

The medela are some of the best.  I dont' buy the expensive hospital grade pumps which are what I need becuase of supply issues. We have a breastfeeding support center here that loans them.  Last time I paid $22 for the kit that includes the breast shields, hoses, valves, etc.  and included a $5 cleaning fee.  The pump itself was on loan rent free, I could keep ti as long as I breastfed, they just called once a month to see how it was going.  There may be a place like that where you are.  Contact your local chapter of the La Leche League and they could probably tell you if there is a place in your area that does that.

Be careful if buying something off of EBAY that's used.  If you do make sure to sterilize it and buy a BRAND NEW kit from medela for all the "personal" items like the shields hoses etc.  You can find decent prices for NEW pumps on Ebay as well.  

[jschoch8]

I also put the Medela pump on my registry. It is expensive and not the most fun thing to buy people.

[Steph_b]

I'm wanting the Medela freestyle, again it's very pricy but this is my first child and I think I should get a lot of use out of it.  I put it on my registry and I'm hoping some people chip in to get it for me.  If not I will buy the in style.

[Limonada]

Why don't you post this on the Breastfeeding forum?  The ladies there are really helpful :-)  I personally use an Avent manual pump - but I'm on mat leave for a year, so I can mostly feed DS myself, rather than having to pump (I only pump a 4oz. bottle every other day so that DH can feed DS every other night before bed.....or if I happen to be going out and will miss a feeding).

I've heard good things about the Medela pump.  I personally wouldn't buy a pump second hand, especially if this is your first baby and you think that you're going to get some use out of it....but that's just me.

Good luck :-)